The hope for the Islanders is that Ryan Strome can regain some confidence and let his obvious talent come through yet again.

After two consecutive games as a healthy scratch, the 23-year-old returned for the 5-3 win over the Penguins on Wednesday night at Barclays Center and inspired his coach to praise the way he worked.

“I thought he did some good things,” Jack Capuano said after Strome played 12:54 and lost an assist when his great cross-crease feed to John Tavares resulted only in Pittsburgh goalie Matt Murray making a terrific diving glove save on an Isles’ five-on-three man-advantage midway through the second.

“Talking to him throughout the game, and then after the game, there is some video that him and I will watch,” Capuano said. “Just continue to try to make him better in certain areas of his game.”

Strome was the No. 5 overall pick from the 2011 draft, and as a restricted free agent this summer, he signed a two-year, $5 million deal. Yet the two goals and six points through 20 games aren’t exactly holding up his end of the bargain. The way Capuano wants to get him going is to relax and stop overthinking the game.

“I can work with him away from the puck, but I just want him to be able to control the puck and have the poise with the puck that I’ve seen in the past,” Capuano said. “I think that’s the adjustment that he needs to make, just [He needs to] play the game with more of a relaxed mind and do what you do best. I think sometimes he’s fighting it a little bit. I think as we move forward here, things will get better for him. I was happy to see him compete hard.”

Though Strome had been rather ornery about the benching, he was trying to come back with the attitude only of helping his team start to climb its way out of this giant hole.

“I think our whole team needs a wake-up call,” Strome said Wednesday morning. “I think sitting pretty low in the standings is tough, so obviously you want to play your best, want to contribute. I’m responsible to go out there every night and perform. I think all you can do is look towards [the game] and putting your best foot forward.”

He was first scratched in San Jose on Nov. 25, at the end of the team’s 1-2-0 swing through California, which completed a run of 2-4-4 that sent them plummeting in the standings. Strome was scratched again for Monday night’s 2-1 overtime win against the Flames in Brooklyn, a game they almost blew by giving up another goal in the third period.

Yet on Wednesday morning, Capuano said he couldn’t have been happier with the way Strome has approached the whole situation.

“We’ve had some good talks over the last few days,” Capuano said. “He’s been real good. He knows where his game needs to be. He’s one of those guys, for me, he cares so much. He wants to play better. He knows that he can. Just want to continue to have communication with him. What can we do better to continue to try to help him?”

Defenseman Adam Pelech was forced to miss the game with an upper-body injury suffered in Monday night’s 2-1 overtime win against the Flames. Capuano said he doesn’t think Pelech’s injury is “anything serious,” but he could “miss a game or two here. He’s going to need a little bit of rest.”

Replacing him was Scott Mayfield, the long-haired righty who had been called up on Nov. 14, but played just once, having been scratched for the previous five contests. Mayfield had the best performance of his 13-game NHL tenure, collecting his first two career assists.

“I thought Scotty Mayfield stepped in a did a really good job,” Capuano said.

Another big-bodied righty blueliner, Ryan Pulock, was activated off injured reserve and sent to AHL Bridgeport to get some games in as he recovers from a foot injury that has kept him out since Oct. 21.

It’s likely Pulock will play in at least two the Sound Tigers’ three games for a back-to-back-to-back starting Friday.

Veteran defenseman Dennis Seidenberg skated again on Wednesday morning as he comes back from a broken jaw, suffered on Nov. 12. Capuano said after the Rangers complete the current back-to-back, with a game at Washington on Thursday, it’s possible Seidenberg could be ready for Sunday’s 6 p.m. start at home against old friend Frans Nielsen and Detroit.